One of the best parts of Netflix’s The Witcher when it first premiered in 2019 was all the different creatures roaming around The Continent and terrorizing its inhabitants. Although Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) was roped into a larger conspiracy and adventure, there was an irresistible appeal to the loose monster-of-the-week format, as he fulfilled his dangerous role as a witcher. From the insect-like swamp creature called kikimora to the less intangible but still mesmerizing djinn, the creatures were as diverse as they were uniquely ominous. They fleshed out the magical universe and were one of the main reasons the show was so immersive.

But with the fifth and final season of The Witcher approaching, fantasy fans will undoubtedly need another fix of their love for creative, dangerous monsters. Luckily, Netflix has already announced the perfect replacement, the long-awaited series adaptation of the popular tabletop card game, Magic: The Gathering. If you haven’t had the pleasure of playing the game, the animated show, which is in production, will still be the ideal must-watch for fantasy fans. It hosts a wide variety of creatures, characters, and magical objects, all necessary to build a vibrant world, and from there, potential storylines to get swept away in.

‘Magic: The Gathering’ Offers World-Building and Adventure at Its Finest

For those who are unfamiliar with Magic, it was first created by Richard Garfield in 1993 and is often recognized as the world’s first trading card game. Within it are different classes of creatures, enchantments, artifacts, equipment, sorceries, instant spells, tokens, and lands that are played in a turn-based fashion while operating on a mana system, where the amount of mana (essentially, a spiritual kind of currency) a player has will dictate the moves they can play. Already, you get a sense of the sheer variety of fantasy elements within the basic game, let alone when you incorporate characters like the powerful Planeswalkers or dice that completely alter the battlefield.

After sticking around for decades, Magic has an endless supply of ideas for the show’s creators and writers to draw from, making it brimming with potential for a riveting high fantasy series. The cards are often released in sets, with each one almost acting as a portal to another genre, so while the show’s foundation may remain in the realm of high fantasy, there is plenty of room for genre-bending and diversity. From huge dragons with impossible stats equipped with golden armor, steampunk artifacts that can decimate everything on the battleground, to horror creatures that can rise from the graveyard, the kinds of communities, threats, and visuals available for adaptation are vast. This is all threaded together with five distinct biomes (plains, forests, islands, swamps and mountains), each laying the foundation for effective and immersive world-building.

‘Magic: The Gathering’ Is Just One of Many Recent Hollywood Adaptations

Recently, video game adaptations like The Last of Us or Sonic the Hedgehog have been on the rise, and we even got a brilliant film adaptation of the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons, but how do you adapt a tabletop card game? What we know so far is that the show will be focusing on Planeswalkers, who are arguably the most powerful characters in the game that depict figures with unique abilities and backstories that can — as the name suggests — traverse across dimensions. They will act as the fittingly dark and complex characters that drive the storylines, while the show will also be crossing different planes and drawing on the lore of their specific world within the Magic multiverse. The main concern is being able to execute a plot that is faithful to the extensive lore and diversity of the original, while connecting the markedly distinct worlds coherently and convincingly.

That being said, it’s a wonder that Magic hasn’t been adapted before, especially since now fans are being spoiled with a TV show and a film in the works. Hasbro has had the rights to Magic since 1999, and while they attempted to adapt the game, they haven’t had success until now. The last announcement of the game’s adaptation was in 2019, which was going to be a series helmed by the Russo brothers (Avengers: Endgame), but fell through due to creative differences.

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Now, Terry Matalas (Vision Quest) is on board as the showrunner and executive producer for the TV show, while Hasbro is collaborating with Legendary for the movie. With a plan to go down the animation route for the series, providing more freedom to showcase the breadth of magic, adapting the visual element of the game has hardly been an issue. Additionally, Magic has routinely done crossover sets by collaborating with the likes of Marvel or Lord of the Rings, so it’s surprising the script wasn’t flipped and no one decided to translate the card game to the screen until now.

Either way, Magic has been patiently waiting for its turn, and in that time, it has transformed from a basic tabletop game to a sprawling multiverse of unimaginable powers and creativity, or, as Matalas puts it, “the ultimate storytelling sandbox.” Whether you’re a longtime player or a fantasy fan, this potentially epic saga needs to be on your radar, and soon, you too will be batting alongside some of the most iconic characters of this world and shaking your head in admiration at a series that is egregiously overdue.

Downton Abbey star Nathalie Baye is dead after a battle with dementia. She was 77.

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Baye died in her home in Paris after receiving a Lewy body dementia diagnosis, the actress’ family confirmed to the Agence France-Presse on Saturday, April 18.

Related: ‘Downton Abbey’ Stars: Where Are They Now?

Downton Abbey caught the attention of millions of viewers throughout its six seasons — and fans are still binge-watching the drama well after its finale. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your email Please enter a valid email. Subscribe By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and […]

According to the Mayo Clinic, Lewy body dementia, also known as LBD, occurs when protein deposits called Lewy bodies develop in nerve cells in the brain and affect brain regions involved in thinking, memory and movement.

This story is developing.

The Summer House cast has been divided over Amanda Batula and West Wilson’s romance reveal, and costar Ciara Miller has a theory why.

“I think some people are clearly [taking sides],” Ciara, 30, told Glamour reporter Hunter Harris in an outtake from her Friday, April 17, magazine profile shared via Substack. “But, at the same time, I feel like we have also so many new dynamics in the group. I’m not expecting anyone to take sides.”

She continued, “Honestly, I’m not asking that of anyone. But I think they really know me, and they know how I move, and so I think that this is maybe more of a barometer of maybe why … I don’t know if I’m saying this right, but they’ve watched the whole story unfold in person. I think everyone feels a little bamboozled at this point in time.”

Ciara, West, 31, and Amanda, 34, were all among the Summer House season 10 housemates last year, which is currently airing on Bravo. At the time, West mulled reconciling with ex Ciara while Amanda faced marital issues with Kyle Cooke. Amanda and Kyle, 43, announced their separation in January, three months before she confirmed her connection with West.

Related: Where Ciara Miller Stands With Amanda Batula After West Wilson Scandal

Ciara Miller is still sorting through her feelings after longtime friend Amanda Batula started seeing her ex-boyfriend, and their Summer House costar, West Wilson, earlier this spring. “Ciara has told friends that if they really are in love, she will accept it,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly, noting that if West, 31, and Amanda, […]

“We’ve shown up for each other as friends over the years, through all the highs and lows, and what’s developed recently was the last thing either of us expected,” Amanda and West wrote in a joint statement on March 31. “Our connection grew out of a genuine, longstanding friendship, which made it especially important for us to approach this with care.”

West and Amanda’s big reveal shocked Ciara, who was spotted crying outside Hermès within minutes of the statement’s publication, and their costars. Most of the Bravo cast has since weighed in, picking sides about which friend was in the right. (Amanda and Ciara were once close friends, while West reportedly hooked up with Ciara earlier this year.)

“I’m not telling anyone to take sides, but if they’re taking a side, it’s probably because they’re also very confused and feel like they were led astray,” Ciara told Harris in her first public comments on the scandal. “I feel like there’s been a lot of lying on both sides between Amanda and West. They’ve both lied publicly to my face, to everyone else’s face, so it’s like, ‘Why?’”

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Ciara is set to reunite with the pair during the cast’s season 10 reunion later in April.

“I think that there definitely needs to be specific questions answered,” she told the magazine about filming the tell-all. “And to be understood depends by who.”

While West and Amanda haven’t further addressed the drama, they were spotted kissing at the Yankees vs. Royals baseball game on Friday night.

Pope Leo XIV reportedly has been invited to attend the “Eternal City Tip-Off,” a college basketball doubleheader between Villanova and Notre Dame in Rome.

The schools announced the unique doubleheader on Friday, April 17, which is scheduled to take place later this fall on November 1.

“Inspired by the recent election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born Pope, student-athletes from two of the United States’ top Catholic universities will travel to Rome and Vatican City for a one-of-a-kind international experience to begin their college hoops season – including a planned audience with Pope Leo XIV set to take place ahead of the game,” read a statement from Notre Dame University.

Pope Leo — from Chicago — is an alumnus of Villanova and a noted sports fan. While it’s unclear whether he has accepted the invitation for an in-person appearance at the games, there is a planned papal audience with the Pope beforehand.

“This extraordinary experience reflects the very best of Villanova’s Augustinian Catholic mission—uniting faith, learning and community in a global setting,” said Villanova University President Peter Donohue in a statement. “From academic engagement and cultural immersion to shared worship and athletics, this journey offers a profound opportunity to grow in mind, body and spirit.”

“Pope Leo has spoken in such inspiring ways about the value of sport, emphasizing that sport is a ‘school of life’ that integrates the body, mind, and spirit, a vision both Notre Dame and Villanova wholeheartedly embrace,” echoed Robert Dowd, President of the University of Notre Dame, in a separate statement. “We are honored to join Villanova for what is sure to be the experience of a lifetime for our student-athletes and fans.”

He continued, “We know well the transformative impact of spending time in a city that is so central to our faith and rich in history, having established Notre Dame Rome in 2014, which allows us to host hundreds of students and scholars from around the world each year. It’s exciting and most fitting to add athletic competitions to our many activities in Rome.”

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The trip will also include a welcome reception overlooking Rome and an opportunity to attend Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.

The international game will mark the first game outside of the U.S. to start a men’s college basketball season.

“This is a special opportunity for our players and coaches to be part of a global event,” said Villanova head coach Kevin Willard in a statement. “To represent Villanova in Rome to open our 2026-27 season is such a great honor. We appreciate the enormous effort that’s gone into making it possible.”

David Cronenberg is one of the most important names in horror history, as the description “Cronenbergian” is often applied to innovative works of bodily terror. Cronenberg has many films that have been accepted as classics, but few are more iconic than the 1988 masterpiece Dead Ringers, which starred Jeremy Irons as identical twins. While it’s hardly the first instance in which an actor played twins on screen, Dead Ringers was a bold and subversive look at the grotesque world of medical malpractice. There is never a point in rebooting a classic property without a fresh take, and thankfully, the Prime Video reimagining of Dead Ringers is a totally distinct entity.

Although gender-flipping leading characters has become common within contemporary reboots, Dead Ringers inverts the original material with a feminist slant, given that it’s a story in which the two main characters are gynecologists. That narrative has a different connotation within the new version, as Rachel Weisz plays twin sisters who have sought to control and subvert bodily autonomy through their research. Beverly and Elliot Mantle share a unified interest in revamping the birthing process, but have very different means of executing their goals. Cronenberg’s film was a breakthrough for its time, but the series has been updated to address the radically different landscape for medical research in the 2020s. Dead Ringers is an homage that doesn’t feel like a clone; ironically, the show’s best virtue is that it isn’t identical.

‘Dead Ringers’ Is a Fresh Take on a Horror Classic

The most important aspect of any new take on an established piece of material is using the possibilities of a different medium, and Dead Ringers is retooled to work as a series that can’t rely as heavily on shock value. Cronenberg’s film had to build up to its most visceral scares, but that momentum could never have been sustained over the course of six episodes. As a result, Dead Ringers is able to retain a consistent sense of unease by showing the casual danger of what the Mantles do, as any procedure they perform has the potential to go wrong. It’s because the depiction of medical care feels so authentic that it becomes more shocking when the twins begin to diverge from their accepted policies; it’s evident that they are not only driven by passion to help women find peace, but also out of a desire to see what the human body is capable of. This could have easily felt exploitative, but Weisz brilliantly shows how both Beverly and Elliot have found tranquility through their profession; to them, surgery is just a form of art.

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The TV Adaptation of ‘Dead Ringers’ Is Even Bolder Than Cronenberg’s Original

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The most challenging conceit in Dead Ringers was that the show had to ensure that both characters were distinguishable from one another, which is much harder to do in practice than it is in theory. Keeping two versions of the same actor straight in a series is already difficult, and Weisz has to do many scenes in which she has chemistry with herself. Although there are a few overt physical distinctions when it comes to body language and hairstyle, the difference between the Mantle sisters is in their conduct; Elliot uses foul language, manages a drug addiction, and engages in more social activities, whereas Beverly is more refined and constantly refers to her twin with disparaging language. They’re two distinct characters, but Weisz also makes them feel linked in a manner that is thematically sound. Since Elliot and Beverly represent two different sides of the same coin, it would make sense that they could only unlock their true potential while working together.

‘Dead Ringers’ Has the Best Performance of Rachel Weisz’s Career

Weisz pulls off an impossible challenge of making her characters both intimidating and slightly empathetic, as the series deals with the ways in which institutions have been corrupted by private equity. It’s an unfortunate reality that many of the most advanced medical innovations have been funded through donors, and the Mantle sisters are forced to take capital from the private investor Rebecca Parke (Jennifer Ehle), who has her own agenda. The consequence of this is that the backers funding the Mantles’ research don’t put safeguards in place that account for their erratic, potentially volatile behavior. Cronenberg’s films have always had a political edge, but Dead Ringers had the ambition to address the changing economic context of the original film’s thesis.

Horror television often runs into a sustainability issue, as audiences may not want to stew in such uncomfortable emotional places for the same extended amount of time that they would in a film. Thankfully, Dead Ringers is filled with mystery and dark comedy, as there is an inherent playfulness in the notion of women dedicated to preserving life while often courting death. It’s the rare reboot that works for multiple audiences; it’s both suited to those who can appreciate the homages to Cronenberg and those who want to see something with fresh eyes. It can be hard to tell which horror shows are actually worth investing in, but Dead Ringers is more than just a gimmick. It’s frightful, innovative, and thought-provoking television, and may end up spawning the same cult appreciation that the original film did.

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Dead Ringers

Release Date

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2023 – 2023-00-00

Network

Prime Video

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Directors

Sean Durkin, Lauren Wolkstein, Karyn Kusama

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Plot holes are kind of impossible to avoid in storytelling, and honestly, at times, the audience is willing to play along. If the story is good enough, a few logical leaps here and there don’t really matter. However, things get messy when writers push that limit a little too far. HBO, for all its prestige and reputation, is no exception. In fact, some of the network’s most iconic series are also the biggest offenders when it comes to obvious inconsistencies and unresolved arcs.

That doesn’t necessarily make them bad, though. If anything, it makes their success all the more fascinating. After all, it takes a truly great story to keep the viewers hooked even when the cracks in the plot are right there in plain sight. Here is a list of successful HBO shows that serve as perfect examples of that.

6

‘Westworld’ (2016–2022)

Image via HBO

Westworld started as one of HBO’s most ambitious shows with a premise that instantly hooked the audience. The sci-fi series, created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, is about a hyperrealistic Wild West theme park populated by android hosts, where wealthy guests can indulge in their darkest fantasies without consequence. The show was meant to be a philosophical exploration of free will, consciousness, and what it truly means to be human. Now, Westworld Season 1 perfectly set up this concept with a gripping and layered central mystery. However, as the show expands its world, it begins to lose the plot big time. The storytelling begins increasingly convoluted, and timelines start blurring into each other to the point where the rules of the show’s own universe start feeling inconsistent.

Characters are repeatedly killed and revived without clear stakes, major arcs are unresolved, and key plots like the fate of the Outliers never receive a satisfying payoff. The thing about Westworld is that it isn’t necessarily a bad show, but its tendency to constantly reinvent itself comes at the expense of the story and characters. Each season turns the status quo upside down and makes the audience feel that the show is more interested in escalating its complexity than in actually following through on already-established ideas.

5

‘Euphoria’ (2019–2026)

Image via HBO Max

Euphoria has been one of the most talked-about shows of the last decade. The controversial teen drama, created by Sam Levinson, stars Zendaya as Rue Bennett, a high-schooler battling addiction along with a group of her friends and classmates, all navigating their own struggles with identity and trauma. The series takes place in a hyper-stylized world that instantly became its signature and mirrored the chaos that its characters live in. The show has been widely praised for its performances, cinematography, and raw depiction of teenage life. However, for all its strength, the drama has also faced consistent criticism for gaps in its storytelling. Euphoria Season 2 in particular feels messy, inconsistent, and clearly prioritizes shock value over any semblance of character arcs.

Some of these issues include Nate’s (Jacob Elordi) sudden fixation on Cassie despite hating her throughout Euphoria Season 1. Entire character arcs are dropped, like Kat’s (Barbie Ferriera) being reduced to a side character or McKay (Algee Smith) being written out with no explanation. However, Rue’s storyline with Laurie (Martha Kelly) and the fact that she escapes that dangerous situation without any consequence is easily one of the biggest plot holes in the series. Some might argue that all of these loose ends will be solved by Season 3. That doesn’t take away from the fact that the show struggles with its own stakes. Euphoria thrives on how it makes the audience feel in the moment, but once they step back, the cracks in the narrative are impossible to ignore.

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4

‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)

Image via HBO

Game of Thrones has practically defined prestige television for the better part of the last two decades. The series, based on George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, takes place in an expansive, fantastical world and centers on the intense power struggle between the seven kingdoms for the Iron Throne. There’s no denying that the show has already gone down in pop culture history for its meticulous storytelling and unmatched worldbuilding. However, as the series moved beyond its source material, logic took a backseat to the spectacle, and that proved to be a major mistake. The later seasons destroyed the legacy that the show had spent around eight years constructing.

Entire storylines felt rushed or abandoned, including Cersei’s (Lena Headey) pregnancy and the prophecy of “The Prince That Was Promised.” Even major narrative arcs like Jon Snow’s (Kit Harrington) true lineage and Daenerys’ (Emilia Clarke) descent into madness ultimately had little impact on the outcome of the story. By the end, it felt like the show was just leaning on convenience to wrap things up, and in doing so, it set up many ideas that were never fully explored. The notorious ending of Game of Thrones raised more questions than answers and is widely considered one of the worst series finales of all time. Despite a rushed finish, though, Game of Thrones is still an undeniable landmark in TV history, with two spinoffs already airing and several others in the works.

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Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz
Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive?
The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars

Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you’d actually make it out of alive.

💊The Matrix

🔥Mad Max

🌧️Blade Runner

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🏜️Dune

🚀Star Wars

TEST YOUR SURVIVAL →

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01

You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do?
The first instinct is often the truest one.

APull on every thread until I understand the system — then figure out how to break it.
BStop asking questions and start stockpiling — food, fuel, weapons. Questions don’t keep you alive.
CKeep my head down, observe carefully, and trust no one until I know who’s pulling the strings.
DStudy the patterns. Every system has a rhythm — learn it, and you learn how to survive it.
EFind the people fighting back and join them. You can’t fix a broken galaxy alone.

NEXT QUESTION →

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02

In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely?
What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.

AKnowledge. If you understand the system, you don’t need resources — you can generate them.
BFuel. Everything else — movement, power, escape — runs on it.
CTrust. In a world of fakes and informants, a truly reliable ally is rarer than any commodity.
DWater. And after water, information — the two things empires are truly built on.
EShips and credits. The galaxy is big — you survive it by being able to move through it freely.

NEXT QUESTION →

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03

What kind of threat keeps you up at night?
Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.

AThat reality itself is a lie — that everything I experience has been constructed to keep me compliant.
BA raid. No warning, no mercy — just the roar of engines and then nothing left.
CBeing identified. Once someone with power decides you’re a problem, you’re already out of time.
DBeing outmanoeuvred — losing a political game I didn’t even know I was playing.
EThe Empire tightening its grip until there’s nowhere left to run.

NEXT QUESTION →

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04

How do you deal with authority you don’t trust?
Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.

ASubvert it from the inside — learn its rules well enough to weaponise them against it.
BIgnore it and stay out of its reach. The further from any power structure, the better.
CAppear to comply while doing exactly what I need to do. Visibility is the enemy.
DManoeuvre within it carefully. You can’t beat a system you refuse to understand.
EResist openly when I have to. Some things are worth the risk of being seen.

NEXT QUESTION →

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05

Which environment could you actually endure long-term?
Survival isn’t just tactical — it’s physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.

AUnderground bunkers and server rooms — cramped, artificial, but with access to everything that matters.
BOpen wasteland — brutal sun, no shelter, constant movement. At least the threat is honest.
CA dense, rain-soaked city where you can disappear into the crowd and nobody asks questions.
DMerciless desert — extreme heat, no water, and something enormous living beneath the sand.
EThe fringe — backwater planets and busy spaceports where the Empire’s attention rarely reaches.

NEXT QUESTION →

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06

Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart?
The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.

AA tight crew of believers who’ve seen behind the curtain and have nothing left to lose.
BOne or two people I’d trust with my life. Any more than that and someone talks.
CNobody, ideally. Alliances are liabilities. I work alone unless I have no choice.
DA community bound by shared hardship and mutual survival — people who need each other to last.
EA ragtag team with wildly different skills and total commitment when it counts.

NEXT QUESTION →

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07

Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all?
Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they’re actually made of.

AI won’t harm the innocent — even the ones who’d report me without hesitation.
BI do what I have to to protect the people I’ve chosen. Everything else is negotiable.
CThe line shifts depending on who’s asking and what’s at stake.
DI draw a long-term line — nothing that compromises my people’s future, even if it’d help now.
ESome lines, once crossed, can’t be uncrossed. I know which ones they are.

NEXT QUESTION →

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08

What would actually make survival worth it?
Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.

AWaking others up — dismantling the illusion so no one else has to live inside it.
BFinding somewhere — or someone — worth protecting. A reason to keep moving.
CAnswers. Understanding what I am, what any of this means, before time runs out.
DLegacy — shaping the future in a way that outlasts me by generations.
EFreedom — for myself, for others, for every world still living under someone else’s boot.

REVEAL MY WORLD →

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Your Fate Has Been Calculated
You’d Survive In…

Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.

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The Resistance, Zion

The Matrix

You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You’re a systems thinker who can’t help but notice the seams in things.

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• You’re drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
• You’d find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines’ worst nightmare.
• You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
• The Matrix built an airtight prison. You’d be the one probing the walls for the door.

The Wasteland

Mad Max

The wasteland doesn’t reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That’s you.

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• You don’t need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
• You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you’re good at all three.
• You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
• In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.

Los Angeles, 2049

Blade Runner

You’d survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.

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• You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
• In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
• You’re not a hero. But you’re not lost, either.
• In Blade Runner’s world, that distinction is everything.

Arrakis

Dune

Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.

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• Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they’re survival tools.
• You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
• Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You’d learn its logic and earn its respect.
• In time, you wouldn’t just survive Arrakis — you’d begin to reshape it.

A Galaxy Far, Far Away

Star Wars

The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

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• You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
• You’d gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire’s grip can be broken.
• You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn’t something you’re capable of.
• In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.

↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ

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3

‘The Leftovers’ (2014–2017)

Image via HBO

The Leftovers is a show that fully embraces ambiguity, but that is no excuse for all the plot holes it has left behind. The series, created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta, begins with two percent of the world’s population suddenly vanishing without explanation. However, the show isn’t about where they went, but it focuses on the people left behind as they grapple with grief and faith in the wake of a phenomenon that just can’t be explained. The show’s deliberate refusal to provide easy answers gives it its emotional weight, but also tends to get frustrating at times. The Leftovers often sets up certain storylines only to abandon them in the middle. For example, Kevin Garvey’s (Justin Theroux) repeated resurrections are never grounded in any clear logic.

Not to mention the entire situation with the Guilty Remnant feels like one of the show’s most interesting elements until the viewer realizes that their larger purpose is never actually explored. Even broader world-building elements like the earthquakes or the surreal hotel world are introduced with weight but never really explained in relation to the overall narrative. Sure, some of this is intentional, but there is a fine line between leaving things to the audience’s interpretation and careless storytelling. Despite all that, though, there’s no denying that The Leftovers is one of HBO’s most emotionally complex stories.

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2

‘True Detective’ (2014–Present)

Image via HBO

True Detective Season 1 is peak TV, but unfortunately, it goes downhill from there. The HBO crime anthology begins with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as two detectives trying to solve a disturbing ritualistic murder case. Each subsequent season has introduced a new cast and case, with the most recent one being True Detective: Night Country starring Jodie Foster and Kali Reis. For all its ambition, though, the one thing the show has struggled with is consistency.

True Detective Season 2, in particular, is often criticized for being overly convoluted and weighed down by too many characters and subplots that ultimately go nowhere. It often feels like the show is focusing more on mood and character rather than telling a believable story. Its best moments have always come from the dynamic between its detectives and philosophical dialogue, but even then, the show’s glaring plot holes are hard to miss. Even at its messiest, though, True Detective is undeniably a great watch.

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1

‘The Last of Us’ (2023–Present)

Image via HBO

The Last of Us quickly established itself as one of HBO’s biggest hits and set the gold standard for video game adaptations. The post-apocalyptic drama follows Joel (Pedro Pascal), who is tasked with escorting Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across a post-apocalyptic United States to a revolutionary group known as the Fireflies. Now, what raises the stakes is that this teenage girl may hold the key to curing a fungal infection that is slowly taking over humanity. The drama series is far from a typical zombie show, though, because it leans heavily into character-driven storytelling.

However, for a show that attempts to remain grounded in realism, there are plenty of moments where its internal logic starts to crack. Plenty of Joel’s decisions make little sense from a practical point of view. Even the broader stakes, such as the Fireflies’ plan to immediately operate on Ellie without exploring any other alternatives, feel rushed and oddly underdeveloped. A lot of moments in the show rely entirely on convenience or shock value. One can overlook these gaps thanks to the cast’s brilliant performances and the emotional payoff of it all, but they do make it harder to fully buy into the world at times.

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The Last of Us

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Release Date

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January 15, 2023

Network

HBO

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Showrunner

Craig Mazin

Directors

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Craig Mazin, Peter Hoar, Jeremy Webb, Ali Abbasi, Mark Mylod, Stephen Williams, Jasmila Žbanić, Liza Johnson, Nina Lopez-Corrado

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